Knitting machine



. Patented Mart29, 1927.

, UNITED: STATES PATENT 'OFFICE.

laminar n. scmmz; or mwsmm. PENNSYLVANIA, Assreuoa iro 'DEX ALE nosmmr MILLS, or LANSDALE,'PENNSY LYANIA, A conrorm'rron or PENNSYLVANIA.

- rm rrrme amounts.

Application filed August 9, 1324 Serial No. 731,069.

This invention relates gene'rallyto knit ting machincs, and'more particularly to a type wherein the sinkers are'released' from the actuating means therefor during yarn feeding. This co'nditio'nis characteristic ofthe straight or bar type machines ordinarily known as cottonxframcs: 7811C 1t. frequently happens as the result of suchre-g lease. that the sinkers are accidentally projected through shocks attending the operation of the machine, into the path of the yarn feeds, and either they. or said feeds,

or both, are bent or broken. Such 'c0n'- tingencies, asis known to skilledknitters,

entail idleness of the machine until repairs made, these being.

"or replacements can he often very costly. I

My object is to obviate the (llfllCllltlGS pointed out; and one convenient and simple way in which this desideratum may beattained will be readily apparent from the detailed description which follows of a typical embodiment of my invention, the appended claims defining those features 725 which I believe to be novel and wholly within the scope of the ments.

In the drawings:

present improve- Fig. I is an illustration, more or less.

0 diagrammatically represented, showing a cross section of a standard straight or bar type of knitting machine. and in association therewith my invention'for restraining independent movement of the sinkers. only those parts of the machine essentialto a proper understanding of the invention being included. 7

Figs. II and III are similar views showing the stitch forming instrumentalities in successive positions which they assume during the formation of the fabric loops; and

Fig. IV is a perspective, view of a portion of the holding bar of the machine. showing the manner in which I employ the same as a holder for the purposes of my invention.

The knitting machine herein depicted comprises upper and lower sinker bars 1, 2

which are complementarily slotted or grooved as .at 3. 4 respectively to jointly sup-- yarn Y is first engaged and thereafter sunk mto the intervals (in the present instance) between adjacent pairs of needles 8 whensaid sinkers are moved forward as shown in 1 1g. II. This forward movement-1s effect- .cd through the medium of. jacks 9 engaging the thickened or reinforced rear ends of the sinkers ,5, said; jacks oscillating about a common fixed fulcrum rod 10 under actuation of a slur cock 11' that traverses the machine longitudinally and engages them from behind in the .well known manner. Retractive movement of the sinkers 5 is brought about by a catch bar 12 that has a longitudinal slot 13 in its lower facefor engaging the upstanding butts 14 at the.

rear of thesinkers 5. The catch bar 12 has horizontal reciprocatory movement to function as just explained, as well'as u and down movement so as to relegate contro of the sinkers 5 to the jacks 9 for forward shifting in the manner above described.

The dividers 6 alternating with the sinkers 5, are actuated solely by the catch bar 12.- their butts 15 being somewhat longer than those of the sinkers so as to be always engaged within the slot 13 of the bar. The

' outer ends of the dividers 6 are angularly notched (see Fig. II) to'function in precisely the same manner as the sinkers 5, i. e., to sink the yarn Y into the intervals between needles 8 not served by the .sinkers '5. At the opposite ends, the dividers 6 are provided as usual with rearwardly project-- ing tails'16 that cooperate in pairs to afford ways for guiding the rocking movement of the jacks '9.

In operation, the yarn Y is laid by the traversing feed indicated at F. Fig. 1, to the front of the needles 8 and within the angularly recessed channel jointly formed by said needles and the notched outer ends 7 of the sinkers 5 and dividers 6, both of which are at this time in full retracted position as shown in theaforesaid figure. Im-

mediately after the feed F has completed its traverse; the slur'cock 11 functions to advance the sinkers 5 (which are their free from the catch bar 12) to the position of Fig. II. with the result that yarn Y is Sunk in the intervals between adjacent pairs of needles 8. The dividers 6 are next projected to an extent corresponding to that of the sinkers 5 as a result of horizontal'forward the fabric stitches in the known manner;

and immediately when this is accomplished,

the catch bar 12 is vertically lowered from the full line position to the dot-and-dash line position of Fig. III. to engage the upstanding buttsl of the. sinkers 5 so as to retract the latter at the same time with the dividers 6 when subsequently shiftedrear- Ward to the dot-and-dashlineposition of Fig. I. The catch bar 12 is finally elevated 1 to the full line position in the latter illustration to release the sinkers 5in readiness for repetition of the same cycle of'operations exactly as before.

Since at certain periods. the sinkers 5 are entirely free or disengaged from theactuating means, i. e. from the catch bar 12 when the same is elevated away from their butts 14: as in Fig. I, they are likely to. be displaced through shocks attending operation 5 of the machine inducing forward movement 4 of the jacks 9, which, as w1ll be seen. are top heavy by virtue of the normal outward inclination and therefore tend to thrust the sinkers 5 into the path of the yarn feed F.

This-contingency I avoid by provision of auxiliary means for restraining any free or independent movement whatever of the sinkers 5 both as regards forward and rearward movement, more particularly during the 36 criticalperiods'when they are disengaged from thecatch bar 12. As shown. this'meaus comprises astrip 17 of suitable material,

such as felt or leather, adapted at all times to: restrain the sinkers 5 by very light friction-therewith, without however, interfering with:normaleoperation. As shown this 'fr1c-- :non strip 17-1s sheathed in a metallic Chan nela'nember 18-with only its lower face exposed; Thefsheathmg l8 insures easy slid in or ravitational movement in a roove 1- b 19 formed in the holding bar 20 of the machine (which bar I employ in the present instance as a holder for the strip 17) so that the strip rests freely by its own weight upon the -sinkers 5 as shown in the several assenu bly illustrations. Aside from the groove 19.

the holding bar 20 will be observed as of the kind ordinarily associated with knitting machines of this general character, it being provlded with the usual edge notches 21 permitting by cooperation. with clamp screws 22, adjustment relative to the upper sinker bar 1 whereto it is secured:

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a knitting machine, the combination with needles, yarn feeds. sinkers, sinker-actuating means and a holding bar, of a friction device supported by said bar for restraining independent movement of the sinkersrelative to the actuating means to prevent their accidental projection into the path of the yarn feeds during yarn feedin 2. In a knitting machine. the combinationwith needles, yarn feeds. sinkers, sinker-actuating means and a holding bar, of a friction device gravitationally mounted in the holding bar for restraining free movement of the sinkers during periods of release from the actuating means to prevent their accidental projection into the path of the yarn feeds during yarn feeding.

3. In a knitting machine, the combination with needles, yarn feeds. sinkers, sinker actuating means and a holding bar, of a gravitating device housed in the holding bar adapted to frictionally engage the sinkers to restrain them against independent movement as well as prevent their accidental projection into the path-of the yarn feeds during yarn feedin 4. In a knitting machine, the combination with needles, yarn feeds, sinkers, and sinker actuating means, of means for restraining independent movement of the sinkers relative to the actuating means to prevent their accidental projection into the path of the yarn feeds, the restraining meansincluding a slotted holder, and friction material in the .slot of the holder bearing against the sink- ALBERT E. SCHULZ. 

